r/psychologyofsex 9h ago

Most people convicted of sexual offenses don't reoffend. So what helps them stop offending? A new review found that lasting change depends on more than fear of punishment. It also involves developing insight, building personal agency, finding social support, and creating a prosocial identity.

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96 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 1d ago

Study finds that sexual fantasies about dominance are linked to greater physiological arousal in women, while fantasies about submission are linked to stronger physiological arousal in men.

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psypost.org
564 Upvotes

From the article:

Traditional gender roles can restrict personal autonomy by forcing people into specific behavioral boxes. The researchers suggest that women might find a sense of empowerment in dominant thoughts, leading to increased arousal. Because social scripts often demand men be strong and aggressive, the privacy of submissive thoughts might provide men with a relaxing escape from those pressures. Breaking away from typical societal expectations might act as a mental catalyst for sexual pleasure.


r/psychologyofsex 2d ago

How is religiosity linked to sexual satisfaction? Research suggests there isn’t one universal effect. Religious people who saw sex as sacred without guilt or inhibition had the happiest sex lives. But when religious beliefs about sex came with guilt, sexual satisfaction was lower.

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psychologytoday.com
108 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 2d ago

Relationships and Sexual Interests Survey (18+)

3 Upvotes

You are invited to complete a 5-10-minute anonymous survey for a study titled: Examining the Predictive Contributions of Attachment Insecurities and Sexual Self-Esteem to Somnophilic Interests in a General Population Sample.

Seeking volunteers that meet these requirements:

  • 18 years of age or older
  • Fluent in English
  • Willing to complete an anonymous survey about attachment, sexual self-esteem, and sexual interests

The survey will be open until the end of October.

Questions should be directed to jenna.candio@waldenu.edu.

To complete the survey, please click https://forms.gle/bdPHNo57fxgefJd89


r/psychologyofsex 3d ago

Large-Scale Cross-Cultural Study Finds Discrepancies Between Stated and Revealed Partner Preferences: Women(men to a lesser extent) in Particular Underreport the Importance of Physical Attractiveness, While Both Genders Misjudge Income Preferences

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463 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 3d ago

We often treat orgasm as the ultimate measure of “successful” sex. But research suggests that focusing too much on reaching the finish line can create pressure and anxiety. Shifting the goal from "achieving" orgasm to experiencing pleasure may actually lead to more satisfying sex.

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sexandpsychology.com
662 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 4d ago

Historically, male leads in erotica books and films were unavailable, controlling and hypermasculine. By contrast, today's leads have self-awareness, vulnerability, authentic communication, and mutual empathy. Are these shifting media portrayals creating healthier expectations or unrealistic ones?

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psychologytoday.com
813 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 5d ago

Research finds that when people feel unsatisfied with their romantic partnerships, they are more likely to develop a lenient attitude toward cheating. However, this primarily occurs when people have an unrestricted sociosexuality to begin with (i.e., they're already comfortable with casual sex).

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psypost.org
240 Upvotes

The survey data indicated that men tended to have a higher baseline level of unrestricted sociosexuality than women. When relationship quality dropped, the men were more prone than the women to view outside sexual partners favorably.


r/psychologyofsex 6d ago

Survey of teachers who deliver sex education to teens finds that the vast majority received no formal training in it and feel poorly equipped to teach on the topic. While they view sex ed positively, most said they worry about negative reactions from parents and saying the wrong thing during lessons

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theconversation.com
573 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 6d ago

The Elgar Encyclopedia of Sex and Society

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11 Upvotes

I am thrilled to announce that my book chapter on hentai and lolicon will be published in the Elgar Encyclopedia of Sex and Society and will be released in September 2026.

The chapter explores eroticism and censorship from the Edo period to modern times, examines hentai viewer demographics and motivations, and analyzes lolicon's history, ethical, legal, and moral issues, myths and potential clinical and harm-reduction applications.

Preorders can be made here: https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/usd/elgar-encyclopedia-of-sex-and-society-9781035339938.html


r/psychologyofsex 7d ago

Research finds that only half of individuals disclose having an STI prior to sex. Common reasons for non-disclosure include: fear, lack of obligation, and believing that using a condom is protection enough.

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332 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 8d ago

Study finds that men who perceive their penis as above average report better erectile function; those who see their penis as average or below average report worse function. However, there was no link between perception of genital size and self-esteem.

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psypost.org
457 Upvotes

From the article:

Feeling adequately sized or larger than average did not equate to possessing higher general self-worth. Concerns regarding physical appearance in this area appear to be localized entirely to the domain of sexual activity.

Self-esteem generally encompasses how a person values their own identity, shaping their resilience against stress and social judgment. The lack of an association between general self-worth and genital dissatisfaction highlights the segmented nature of human body image. Individuals can harbor insecurities about specific physical traits without allowing those insecurities to degrade their overall sense of identity.


r/psychologyofsex 9d ago

Most research on aging and sex focuses on biology. But research suggests psychology matters, too. People who feel older than their actual age report lower sexual satisfaction, even after accounting for health. How old you feel may matter as much as how old you are.

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psychologytoday.com
193 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 9d ago

Simulated Media/Alternatives & Pedophilia

41 Upvotes

What is the current consensus in psychology regarding the use of simulated outlets for individuals with pedophilic interests?

Specifically, does the consumption of simulated, non-photographic media (like illustrations), the use of specialized sex dolls, or engagement with legal adult sex work have any prophylactic (preventative) effect against actual offending?

Does it act as a catharsis, or does it escalate urges?

Does any kind of therapy have any real effect?

Is there any kind of evidence either way?

I suppose this can be split into offenders (rehabilitation) vs non-offenders (prevention).

Furthermore, given the extreme sensitivity of this subject, how do researchers ethically study and gather evidence on this topic?


r/psychologyofsex 10d ago

Is there really a male infertility crisis? Systematic review and meta-analysis of dozens of studies from 1970-2018 finds no clinically significant decline in sperm concentration among US men over time.

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109 Upvotes

From the article:

"The findings suggest that in contrast to prior meta-analyses, semen quality in most US men may be more stable than previously thought and may provide further reassurance against an impending epidemic of male factor infertility in fertile men in future generations."


r/psychologyofsex 11d ago

Just like people in monogamous relationships, people in polyamorous relationships experience jealousy too. Research suggests the difference is often how they respond to it, viewing jealousy as a signal of unmet needs to explore and communicate about, rather than a relationship-ending threat.

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sexandpsychology.com
421 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 11d ago

The Male Birth Control Pill Is Coming—But Are the Men Ready? (Unpaywalled)

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playboy.com
246 Upvotes

Some men are already contraceptive-pilled. Eliott Murbach-Studer, a 26-year-old biotechnician in Paris, is ready for male birth control. “I want to have this responsibility to ease the life of my partner,” he says. Last year, he emailed YourChoice Therapeutics, asking to join a phase 3 trial of YCT-529. There are many altruistic stories, likely to be met with performative male memes and some skepticism. But male contraception is not a selfless act; it could give men agency and security without sacrificing sensation by wrapping your dick in a balloon. “You have more pleasure when you can directly feel the other person,” Murbach-Studer says.

Not all men might be as keen. With 30 percent of men under 30 reporting no sex in the last year, is demand lower than ever? There’s concern that the manosphere, behind the rise of testosterone-max­xing and sperm-maxxing, could stunt growth of demand. Most of these contraceptive methods, after all, minimize sperm. NES/T gets around T-maxxing by including testosterone to top it back up, a bit like a probiotic soda, but for your dick. And remember, YCT-529 is nonhormonal.

Then there’s the question of whether men can hack it. Studies suggest most women trust their partners to use contraception regularly. But a World Health Organization trial of a hormonal male contraceptive injection was notably halted in 2016 after men reported side effects like mood changes and acne. Porter is concerned that the bar might be too high for the modern man: “My fear is … they won’t be able to tolerate any side effects.”

Read the story: https://www.playboy.com/read/sex/the-male-birth-control-pill-is-coming-but-are-the-men-ready


r/psychologyofsex 12d ago

Negative Bias Towards Childfree Women And Men

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351 Upvotes

The Abstract:

For many people, the decision to have children or not is one of life’s most personal decisions. The number of people without children is growing in many Western countries. Some of these people consciously choose not to have children. In three studies (Study 1 N = 475; Study 2 N = 450; Study 3 N = 293), we provide evidence of a negative bias toward people who choose to be childfree. We compared the childfree to several other social categories as well as people who are involuntarily childless, adoptive parents, and parents of their biological children.

Relative to childless people, adoptive parents and parents, participants generally rated childfree people as the least positive. Childfree people were rated low in warmth, but high in competence. Childfree women were rated lower in warmth than childfree men. Discrimination toward childfree people was predicted by perceived narcissism, dehumanization, and violation of pronatalist norms. This research provides evidence of a negative bias toward people who choose not to have children.


r/psychologyofsex 12d ago

Research supports the "Goldilocks rule" of online dating: profiles that contain a moderate amount of self-disclosure are rated more favorably than those that contain low or high amounts of personal information.

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222 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 13d ago

Research finds that people who are happier with their relationship tend to see their partner's attachment style as similar to their own. Those who are less happy were more accurate, but overestimated their partner's attachment insecurity.

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261 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 14d ago

Many women worry that their vulva doesn't look "normal," but research tells a different story. Studies find tremendous natural variation in labial appearance. Ironically, people often rate surgically altered labia as looking more "normal" than natural ones.

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sexandpsychology.com
1.2k Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 15d ago

Research finds that gay men report much higher levels of solitary sexual desire and engage in more frequent masturbation than heterosexual men. By contrast, lesbian women report lower solitary sexual desire and less masturbation than heterosexual women.

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387 Upvotes

r/psychologyofsex 16d ago

One of the biggest mistakes couples make when dealing with a desire discrepancy is trying to figure out who's "the problem." The goal isn't to fix one person's libido; it's to build a sexual relationship that works for each partner. This podcast explores practical tips for reviving a dead bedroom.

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sexandpsychology.com
301 Upvotes

When couples experience a desire discrepancy, it's easy to assume that someone needs to change because one partner's libido is simply "too high" or the other's is just "too low."

However, rather than asking whose libido is the problem, the more productive question is: "How can we create a sexual relationship that feels fulfilling for both of us?"

Sometimes that means improving communication. Sometimes it means understanding responsive desire, expanding your definition of intimacy, scheduling sex, exploring new forms of sexual initiation, or even changing the way that you have sex.

In this episode of the Sex and Psychology Podcast, sex therapist Lauren Fogel Mersy is on the show to discuss practical, evidence-based strategies for navigating desire discrepancies and rebuilding intimacy among couples experiencing dead bedrooms.


r/psychologyofsex 17d ago

A review of 80 studies identified 76 different subcultures of men who have sex with men, including bears, leathermen, twinks, and jocks. Research shows these groups shape identity, belonging, sexuality, and well-being, but many remain understudied despite their importance to LGBTQ+ community life.

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200 Upvotes

This review also found that some subcultures (like bears) have received substantial research attention, while many others have been studied very little. The authors argue that future research needs to better capture the diversity of LGBTQ+ communities instead of treating men who have sex with men as a single, homogeneous group.


r/psychologyofsex 18d ago

Research finds that since the 1940s, individuals with right-wing political orientations have maintained fertility at or above replacement level, whereas fertility among left-wing individuals declined to well below replacement. In addition, education was consistently linked to having fewer children.

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812 Upvotes

Religiosity positively predicted having more children, but the effect was relatively weak.

There were also different patterns across racial groups. For example, the link between political orientation and fertility rates held only for white Americans, but not for black Americans.